Strawberry Balsamic Pasta Salad

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Drain and rinse noodles well. Place into boiling water and cook for 2–3 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towel. You want to remove as much moisture as possible (see note). Let noodles sit on counter for 30 minutes to cool and continue drying.

In a large bowl, mix together balsamic vinegar, agave, mustard and Italian seasoning until smooth and mixed. While whisking, stream in olive oil until dressing thickens and becomes creamy.

Add dry noodles into vinaigrette, toss and mix to coat evenly. Cover bowl and refrigerate 2–3 hours.

Once the noodles have chilled, preheat grill to medium heat.

For the salad, toss sliced zucchini with olive oil, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until tender and grill marks form, about 3–5 minutes. Flip and repeat on other side. Toss grilled zucchini into bowl of noodles.

Add sliced strawberries, spring mix, goat cheese, avocado and basil into salad and toss until evenly mixed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Devour immediately.

Note: You want to make the noodles as dry as you can. I patted mine dry with paper towel 3 times before letting them cool to room temperature, to really absorb that moisture.